FAQs

Q: What is the Alphabet Summer?

A: It is any combination of the following you decide to do corresponding with the letters of the week you choose.

Project, activity or adventure

Craft

Book

Movie

Food

Nursery Rhyme

Exercise

The best part of Alphabet summer is that it can be modified to your own family’s wants, income and interests.

Q: What is the Alphabet Summer Kit?

A: Our Alphabet Summer Kit has tons of ideas for each of the above categories for EVERY letter of the alphabet! From A-Z we have got your summer covered. We suggest you take a look at your calendar and look at things you may have already planned. For the rest of the letters use our Alphabet Summer Kit to give you lots of ideas! Pick any two letters to do each week in the and they don’t have to be in alphabetical order.

Examples:

We already have a family reunion planned so I will use either the letter F or R that week.

I have a daughter with a birthday in the summer so on that week one of the letters we are using is the first letter of her name.

I like to pair “busy/big” letters with not so “busy” ones. X & U are smaller letters with less activities and D & S are letters with more time intensive activities.

We celebrate the Fourth of July/Independence Day in July so we would use letter F or I that week.

In Utah we also celebrate Pioneer Day in July so P is saved for that week.

It also gets very hot in the summer in Utah so I am planning my Zoo trip for early in June to avoid the August heat.

I schedule the letter X during the week of my kids dentist appointment because they always get X-rays there.

Memorial Day is the last week of May so we use M for that week or V for Veterans.

If you have a Vacation planned for the summer use the letter V for that week. Or if your vacation is in Disneyland use the letter D, Grand Canyon use the letter G, Moab use the letter M, etc.

We have swimming lessons in the summer as well and I like to use the letter S for that week.

The Dinosaur Museum my kids like offers big discounts on Tuesdays in August so I am planning on the letter D in August.

Preparation is the most important thing to make sure your alphabet summer is a success! We have generated a lot of ideas for you so your first step is pretty much taken care of. In order to use all of the letters of the alphabet you must do at least two letters a week starting with the last week of May and ending on the first week of school. You could also do 3 letters a week as well.

Doing fun activities themed around the alphabet in the summer is an entertaining and educational way to enjoy time with your child/ren. The Alphabet Summer Kit is great for parents, grandparents, daycares & neighborhood moms alike!

Q: Does Alphabet Summer have other names?

A: Yes and No. Alphabet Summer is similar to S.O.S – Save Our Summer, The Summer Bucket List, The Bored Jar, Summer Boredom Busters etc. The main difference is that Alphabet Summer focuses more on using each letter of the alphabet during the summer. It really creates more of a variety of things you do during the summer.

Q: What is the age range for the kit?

A: We think the kit has enough variety in it that children ages 2-11 will be able to enjoy most or all of the ideas!

Q: Why Alphabet Summer?

A: Alphabet Summer provides many benefits and here are a few.

It provides structure

Vocabulary is enhanced

Prevents the summer learning slide that sometimes happens

Kids practice fine motor and writing skills

Spelling and writing gets better

Gives parents motivation to get out and play with their child/ren.

Keeps the kids entertained

Your kids make more friends and they can deepen current friendships

It creates opportunities to spend quality time with your child/ren.

It helps build a solid foundation for literacy learning

You can avoid the summer slump without work books

The kids learn more about the world around them

You do new things that you never would have otherwise

It makes fun family memories

It’s FUN!

Q: Do I have to go in alphabetical order?

A: No you don’t! Put the letters in any order you want. Try to pair up letters that might complement each other or maybe a really “busy” letter with a not so busy one!

Q: Is this going to cost a lot of money?

A: No you can go as big or as small as you want! Take advantage of the free activities in your neighborhood. For example some free places I like to go are the splash pad, library & the park.

Q: Is this going to take a lot of time?

A: No it doesn’t have to. You could spend all day everyday with your child/ren or you can spend a half hour between dinner and bedtime. Alphabet Summer is completely flexible and up to your discretion as to how long it will take.

Q: Can I do this in a large group?

A: Definitely, the more the merrier. Try getting your neighbors and/or extended family involved. When we visit the Sweets Candy shop you have to have a reservation and a group of about 20 people. Plan ahead and find out about group rates and/or discounts!

Q: Do I have to do an activity, craft, movie, book, nursery rhyme and exercise for each letter each week?

A: No, you get to choose how much or how little you want to do or what you have time for. If you only have time for one crafty and one activity per week that’s better than nothing!

Q: Why don’t you have more books & movies listed in each letter?

A: There are so many children’s books & movies available that we couldn’t possibly list them all! First we suggest you go through the books/movies you already own and see what letters you need. Once you have an idea of what letters you need check your local library for the ones you’re missing! Choose books that are at your child’s reading level as well as books you read to your child. You could also decide your activities/crafts first and see if you have a certain theme going on. Then go to your library looking for books that fit in well with the theme you have for that week.

Examples:

Fourth of July I will be looking for books on America, Freedom & Independence Day.

For the letter V I will be looking for books on Veterans and Volcanoes.

For the letter T we’re going on a Treasure hunt so my books will be about Pirates

Q: Do I have to buy a new Alphabet Summer Kit every summer?

A: No! That’s the best part. We have provided so many ideas in our Alphabet Summer Kit book that you can use this book for many summers to come and you wouldn’t have to repeat your activities…unless you want to that is!

Q: How do I get started?

First you need to buy the Alphabet Summer Kit. It has hundreds of ideas listed, for every letter in every catergory! It will help you have a memorable and fun summer with your family. The Alphabet Summer Kit has over 150 pages of awesome ideas, crafts, recipes, books, movies & directions on how to do it all!

Pull out a calendar and start looking at your summer plans. Start placing your letters with the weeks you want them.

Plan how many things you want to do and on what days.

Start looking for and saving your coupons if necessary. Get a 3 ring binder or tote to collect your coupons, ideas, supplies etc